Why DC won't give Lobo his own movie

A surprising way that the DC Extended Universe has gotten ahead of Marvel’s own cinematic universe is in the area of showcasing female heroes. While the MCU has shown us a badass Black Widow since Iron Man 2, she has yet to enjoy a solo outing. Like Hawkeye, she’s been relegated to a supporting role, and this has combined with some uncomfortable moments that arguably chip away at her independence and power. Age of Ultron, for instance, reduces her to the Hulk’s love interest and antidote (in a surprisingly literal “beauty and the beast” makeover). When she’s not fulfilling that role, she laments that her super-spy background has left her unable to have kids.

In short, she’s becoming more identified by her femininity rather than her agency, and it seems we’ll get more movies and sequels about obscure characters before she gets her own movie. Warner Bros., however, rushed to introduce us to Wonder Woman and to bring her solo movie into development.

So why would Lobo upset this? Well, he’s a character largely defined by his sexism and misogyny: in one notable comic, he ripped Starfire’s top off against her will as “payment” for his help. In his backstory, he napalmed his kindergarten teacher to death with a bomb because she criticized him. It’s difficult to imagine that level of casual sexism and violence towards women to stand alongside the feminist icon that is Wonder Woman; if nothing else, Lobo is a PR nightmare waiting to happen.